Three ways to raise funds with the girls this October

17 October 2018

Throughout October and November, you can catch up with the women you love while raising much-needed funds for women’s cancers. Here are three inspiring South Australian women who are putting their own spin on Girls’ Night In: Julie, Helen, and Leslie.

Haddow Girls' at-home art exhibition

Helen Haddow along with her daughters Ainsley and Katherine and an amazing team of helpers have held a Girls’ Night In with a difference—including cooking demos, basket weaving, and even eyebrow and hair styling/ how-tos—for the past six years. This year, she has local artist Brianna Speight showcasing her latest work, and friends sharing ideas on Christmas Table settings. The guests also heard from a doctor about how to conduct self-examinations and general women’s health.

The Haddow Girls Night In has helped countless Australian women with their fundraising efforts since 2012, and they know all too well how much cancer can devastate families. Helen lost her dad, her mother-in-law, and her next door neighbour to cancer and thankfully, her mum is a survivor.

“Our health is a blessing that we don’t take for granted, and we know that with every dollar we raise, Cancer Council SA will help another South Australian woman through her cancer experience. We love knowing that no matter who she is, she’ll have support.”

Julie’s car boot sale

Back in 2015, Julie wanted to hold a garage sale to get rid of items that were taking up space. She put forward her idea to her local Naracoorte community, and had nine car boot stallholders respond. The event has grown year on year, and last year over 1,000 customers attended.

Julie recognised the opportunity to raise money for charity, and there is now an annual barbeque fundraiser onsite, with all proceeds going to Cancer Council SA’s Girls’ Night In. In 2010, Julie lost her mum, Sue, to cancer.

This year, determined to kick her fundraising up a notch, Julie will also be shaving her head on the morning of the event, raising funds from spectators and donating her locks to wigmakers.

Julie is currently sitting at the top of the leader board on Garage Sale Trail’s Queen of All Garage Sales competition. You can vote for Julie, or visit the sale in person on Saturday, 20 October.

Leslie’s kids’ marketplace

Thirty-six-year-old Wallaroo resident Leslie Rowe is set to hold her sixteenth Girls’ Night In later this month. With three kids of her own, she put the call out to the community to ask everyone to donate their old kids’ clothes, toys, and goodies.

“It’s essentially like a huge garage sale, and I’ve found it’s a really great way to raise money,” she said.

Leslie is no stranger to cancer. For as long as she can remember, every woman in her family has either been diagnosed with, or passed away, from the disease.

“This year my cousin, the first of our generation, was diagnosed. I also had a bit of a scare earlier this year when I had to go in for biopsies following my regular check-ups. Thankfully it was benign.”

Despite a strong genetic link in the women in her family, doctors are still unable to confirm why her family has been so heavily impacted—and this knowledge gap motivates Leslie even more to fund the research that will find answers.

Every day in Australia, 60 women are diagnosed with breast or a gynaecological cancer. These women are our mothers, grandmas, daughters, sisters, wives, and friends. Girls’ Night In encourages women to catch up and donate the money they would have spent on a night out to support the women in their life impacted by women’s cancers. Cancer Council is calling on women across Australia to host their own Girls’ Night In throughout October and November to raise funds for all women affected by breast or gynaecological cancers.

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